Martin Heinze plays two quite different double basses: one is a remarkably small Italian 4-string bass from the 18th century. It was very likely built as a violone, as can be judged from various construction details. Lateron it was converted into a modern double bass. The second instrument was originally a 4-string double bass, constructed around 1730 in central Germany (Mitteldeutschland), and converted into a 5-string one in 1994. It originates from the area around the Dresdner Staatskapelle. An identically constructed instrument can be found in the collection of Kloster Michaelstein, close to Dresden.
Martin Heinze : doublebass
was born 1965 in Wuppertal (Germany) and studied double bass with Rolf Heister in Essen (Germany) and Klaus Stoll in Berlin. From 1988 to 1993 he was a member of the Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Munich (Germany). Since 1993 he has been a member of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Martin also plays with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Freiburger Barockorchester and Anima Eterna Brussels. Together with Jan Schlichte (percussion) and Heike Gneiting (piano) he runs the Ensemble KlangArt Berlin, the only philharmonic group focusing exclusively on contemporary music. Martin has been playing with zeitkratzer since 2013.